Grey Rose
by Something Infernal
Summary: A dangerous game...a soul to save... The stakes are high as Roselle fights to put her sister back to life.
1. Prologue

_It's been ten years since Mother has died. No, not died. Murdered. She was murdered in cold blood. That sight when I came back from collecting game, it will haunt me for the years to come. That beautiful woman, lying in a puddle of blood. Her blood. _

_She's gone, forever. A part of my family, ripped away from me. I can't let that happen again. _

_Leila. I promise, on my blade, that I will protect you. No matter what._

"Roselle? Hey, Roselle, wake up."

Roselle groaned, pulling parts of the moss bed towards her head. "Leave me alone," she said groggily. "I need sleep."

"Roselle, I'm not kidding. It's sundown and we need to catch food before they disappear in their dens."

"Go away."

"Fine. I'll go hunting myself."

_Never let Leila go hunting alone. That's one of the rules in the Roselle life._ Instantly, like she was laying on a bed of hot coals, Roselle jumped up, moss still sticking on her jacket and her white hair. "Wait, Leila—"

She woke up too late. Leila had already darted into the woods, leaving behind hundreds of dirt clouds in her wake. Roselle could still see her Victorian-like dress and her little hairpiece flapping in the wind, and her sword poised at her side, like an elegant swordsman. But of course. Everything about Leila was elegant. Her outfit, her movement, her fighting style. She was a graceful swan with an owl's talons.

Roselle considered going after her; after all, she is only eleven, despite her puny appearance. _Oh, well. She's just hunting deer and so. Nothing big like a bear, right?_

She glanced at the food pile on a moss cloth lying next to the fireplace. Surely Leila's seen that? She was a really observant child, and a smart one, too. She wouldn't waste energy by hunting more food if they still had some in stock.

_ It doesn't matter. As long as she stays safe, and comes back in one piece, then I'll be happy. That's all._

"Wow, it's already the heart of the woods. I must have overexerted myself."

Leila looked over her back, watching for her sister to come by and tell her to go back. She was that overprotective over her; she wouldn't let her go on a simple hunting task. That was the only thing about Roselle that she hated. Why couldn't Roselle see that she could take care of herself, just for once? She could handle a mob of skeletons with just a sword and some dark sorcery. Wasn't that proof enough?

_Why am I thinking about this? The deer will go to their beds soon; the moon is getting clearer. I'd best start hunting now._

It was getting darker, but that was okay. To the Vergerius sisters, moonlight was just as good as sunlight. Without hesitation, Leila started tracking the deer, walking briskly without bumping into any trees or tripping over vines.

This was something else that Roselle couldn't see in Leila. She was an excellent hunter.

By the time the moon's light was full, seven deer fell by Leila's fancy, short sword. Even though she looked like she could be eight, she could hunt and fight as well as a sixteen-year-old.

Before Leila could start walking back with her deer meat, a sinister pulse echoed in her mind. Leila flinched. She felt pulses like these before, and they signaled the presence of skeletons or some strange monster. But this pulse, it felt, darker, somehow. This pulse seemed give away a powerful evil aura nearby, one stronger than the ones Leila and Roselle fought before.

Normally Roselle would tell her to not get into the mess like a mother lecturing her kids. But Roselle wasn't here. Leila grinned. If she could take down something as powerful as the thing she was feeling, then Roselle will surely give her more freedom. And she was confident that she could do it.

Slowly, she inched her way to the source of the pulse. This was it. The moment of redemption.

_ Oh, how lovely. A little girl in my gorgeous realm. A real treat, too; she's a vampiress. The most fun._

_ Let's play a game, shall we, little girl?_


	2. The Shattered Soul

Sidenote: Hey guys! Welcome back to Grey Rose. Just for people that weren't satisfied with the last chapter, I'm sorry. Development was hard and I was 20% awake.

So if you don't know what this is on, it's based off of an MMO called Rusty Hearts (lol look at the info). All characters here are owned by Windysoft/Perfect World, not me. Okay? Okay. Let's get started.

* * *

The moon was at its fullest, indicating the time of midnight. Sweat started falling off of Roselle's pale hands. What happened to Leila? Did she get caught by skeletons? But there were no shadowy presences around…

As if on cue, a pulse rang through Roselle's head, whispering dark thoughts into her mind. Roselle jumped. _This must be the pulse that Leila felt! And she was reckless enough to go after it! _Roselle silently cursed to herself. _Why must she do this to herself?_

The somewhat black pulse started beating louder. Roselle erased the thoughts away. She must go save Leila before she loses her life to the source of the pulse!

After all, she never wanted to lose another piece of her family again…

The pulse started reaching the volume louder than all the taiko drums in the world. Roselle clenched her fists so hard she could feel her nails piercing her skin. No matter how loud the beating could get, it wouldn't stop her from reaching her sister.

_I will protect you Leila. No matter what._

Suddenly, the pulsing stopped. It was replaced with a sweet, charming lullaby, a children's choir singing the most beautiful melody ever heard. No one was around, but Roselle could hear the song, like someone was nearby and singing for her.

"_Go to sleep…go to sleep…"_

_ What? _Roselle was taken aback. Why would something so evil be warded off with such a pretty song? That pulse just disappeared, and was immediately taken place by the soothing lullaby. How was this possible, unless…

Was the pulsing the source of the song?

Jerkily, Roselle put her hands up to her ears. Whatever this was, she must not listen to it. This might be a trap from the pulse source, trying to kill her with a lullaby…a lullaby that will put her to sleep forever. But the song kept going, with the same volume, "_Go to sleep little darling…_"

_No! Stop!_

"_Go to sleep…go to sleep…_"

Roselle found herself yawning, eyes drooping wearily. She couldn't believe it; she was being forced to sleep by this stupid song!

"_Go to sleep—_"

She couldn't hear the rest. Slowly, like a rag doll, she collapsed to the ground, eyes closing against her will. Every muscle in her body relaxed, sleep position. _No! I must…stay awake…_

The blackness consumed her, whisking her away to sleep.

* * *

A slight nudge snapped Roselle's eyes open, jerking her awake with unnaturally alert senses. Every hair on her skin raised, anticipating the next move.

Roselle found herself surrounded in darkness, so pitch black not even her vampiress night vision could glance through it. _Is this a dream? Where am I?_

The blackness seemed to ripple, allowing light through it like a curtain. With snail speed, the black drapes rose, revealing a purple emptiness, a color contrasting dramatically from the black. And in the middle…was some spec of black, standing still.

A force pulled on Roselle's body, drawing her toward the black spec. The spec was getting bigger, and Roselle could point out details of the black object every time she neared it.

_The spec…it's human. It looks like a girl, due to that long black hair. Oh, she's wearing an ankle-length dress with a cream bow tied behind it. She has a maid hairpiece. Wait, is she a little girl? Don't tell me it's…_

The force stopped pulling. Roselle found herself about ten feet away from the spec, which was now human size. The human was chillingly still, but breathing, giving away to Roselle that the human was sleeping.

And the human was Leila.

"Leila!" Roselle tried to force her way to her, but it was to no avail. The force that pulled her here had vanished. "Leila, please, wake up!"

Despite Roselle's pleads, Leila was still sleeping. Her skin was very pale, paler than what her skin should look like. Goosebumps formed on Roselle's body. "Leila, please, I beg you—"

Her lips slammed shut as if someone squeezed her mouth to quiet her down. She tried opening them again, but she couldn't. Her lips were glued together.

To the horror of Roselle, Leila's body started making jerky movements, like she was dying and she was fighting death away. She groaned an inhuman groan that made Roselle shudder. Was she dying, right here before Roselle's eyes?

Then it happened so quickly.

In a heartbeat, Leila's soul separated from her body. The transparent soul was glowing with a bright light, revealing her kind and gentle spirit. The soul then donned a black light, consuming the sunlight-like glow like a wolf eating a deer. Roselle's eyes widened with horror. A crack appeared on Leila's soul. Then another. Without a moment's pause, Leila's spirit was breaking apart, cracks appearing everywhere on her figure. Roselle tried to reach her, but she was paralyzed to her position.

Leila let out an ear-piercing scream. Then, her soul was torn apart to pieces, flying away, and scattering through the purple space. The corpse slowly sank, onto a stone bed awaiting her. Her body descended, every part of her relaxed and calm.

But of course. She was a soulless shell.

Afterwards, Roselle heard a silky voice call to her. "Roselle. You have witnessed your sister's soul shattering and fleeing to hidden places in this world.

"But do not worry. Leila can still be saved. All you need to do…is enter this place and find the five pieces of her soul. Bring them to her corpse, and they will be put back together and reenter her body. The only risks…are death and you being sealed in this place.

"Now, the only question is: Will you take on this challenge? If you accept, please wait at the tallest tree in the forest at noon. You will then be instructed on what to do next. Until then."

When Roselle entered back into blackness again, she was freed. She tried to find her way back to the violet area, but the place had disappeared.

_Will you take on this challenge?_

Roselle looked up. _I will accept your task. I must save my sister._


	3. The Black Clad Swordsman

Sidenote (important please read): Welcome back to this lazy fanfic. For those of you who probably think I'm discriminating Leila Vergerius, well, you're wrong. I know Leila's badass, I've seen it. Don't worry, I'll be making her more tough and cool in the future chapters to come. Just don't get the wrong idea in your head.

* * *

Also, Roselle and Leila are owned by Windysoft/Perfect World. The character introduced here is an OC I made up last minute.

It was already the brink of noon, the sun shining (or burning because it was summer) and the birds chirping like any other day. Normally, this would be the perfect time for speed hunting, but today things were different. Today Roselle was going to save her sister.

Roselle was leaning against a tall tree in the depths of the forest, arms crossed in front of her somewhat revealing breasts. She had to clear the surrounding area of skeletons, and her weapon was almost broken. Hopefully she could find some sort of blacksmith in the place Leila is.

_Where is that person I'm supposed to meet? _Roselle thought impatiently. _That voice told me to be here at noon. So much for getting here on time._

"Hey, you. You picked the wrong tree." Roselle whirled around, startled. She whipped out her almost broken sword and positioned it in front of her being.

"Whoa, hold it, girl!" the voice snapped. "I'm just the guy you're supposed to meet at noon, remember? At the base of the tallest tree?"

Roselle narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "How can I believe you?" she hissed. "I've been traveling for many years, and every time someone comes at me with the impulse to kill me. How can I resist thinking the same about you?"

The voice sighed, as if exhausted. "Fine. I can always go back. _Alone_."

That hooked Roselle. "Wait," she called out. "I didn't mean that. I was just attacked by a mob of skeletons, and—"

"Hold your horses, whitey," the voice cut in, stopping Roselle's talk abruptly. "I understand. You want to save your sister, right?"

Roselle nodded like a bobblehead.

"Cool. I got the right person."

The bushes left of Roselle rustled. A young male stepped out of the bush, sweeping branches off his black coat. He was slightly taller than Roselle, and with the scar running down the right side of his face, it gave him that intimidating look. Almost everything about him was black: his hair, his costume, even his eyes were a very dark shade. Two thin blades crisscrossed on his back, held together by a sheath with strings slung across his torso. He didn't seem like the person who would take Roselle to her sister, but she could be wrong.

"What's your name, chick?" he asked, a smile growing across his face.

"Roselle Vergerius."

"Sweet name. Mine's Ryder Nite. Nice to meet 'cha." He held out his hand, beckoning Roselle to give it a good shake.

After the somewhat awkward handshake, Ryder grinned. "So. You wanna go head out now?"

Roselle couldn't help smiling back. "I was waiting for that."

Ryder smiled wider. "I like you already. So eager to get into some chaos."

Roselle's smile vanished. "Wait, wha—"

With a vampire's speed, Ryder snatched Roselle's hand and dragged her across the bushes from which he came. Roselle couldn't figure out where she was heading towards until Ryder pulled his brakes. Unfortunately, Ryder let go of her hand just when he stopped, sending Roselle flying towards a wide tree trunk. A good _thunk _followed afterwards.

Roselle gritted her teeth as she rubbed her head. "What are you doing?" she hollered. "You could be at least a little generous with your stops."

Ryder shrugged, as if he just threw a doll he never cared about. "I thought you were a vampire. Vampires could just dark dash out of the way, right?"

He was right. Roselle blushed in embarrassment. How could she miss that fact?

Ryder cleared his throat, a little louder than what was socially acceptable. "Anyways," he started, "in front of you…is the gateway."

Roselle looked down at the earth lying at her feet. "The dirt is the gateway?" she asked, perplexed.

"What?" Ryder glanced at the ground. "Oh. The gate isn't open. My bad."

He snapped his fingers, and two seconds later the dirt disappeared. In its place was a purple swirl, twisting downwards, downwards, into what looked like nothing. Roselle remembered this purple hue. This was the purple she saw in her dream.

"Are you ready to rumble?" Ryder inquired. His eyes were glinting now, an energetic gleam behind the pupil.

Roselle gulped. She can't back out now. Her sister was in trouble. She needed to save her. "Yes," she managed to breathe out. "I'm ready."

Swiftly, Ryder teleported behind Roselle, his dark energy wavering around his outline. "Three," he whispered in Roselle's ear. "Two. One."

On one, Roselle felt Ryder thrust her into the purple hole. She held her breath for no reason whatsoever. She could hear Ryder cry out above her, telling her that he had just jumped in. Her skin broke out in goosebumps, and her entire body turned cold.

She was scared. After ten years of not being scared, she was terrified.

_Make it stop. Please. Make. It. Stop._

* * *

"Are you dead already? Wake up, whitehead!"

Roselle opened her eyes, like she just woke up. "What? What happened?"

Ryder rolled his eyes. "So you're not dead. Those things happen. We made it to the end of the portal trip."

Roselle sighed in relief. "Good. Tell me there's some moss here so I can take a break…"

Her eyes snapped wide open when she looked around the newfound area. It was just black unknown solids that resembled pebbles, only slimier. No wildlife seemed present in the current vicinity, or even the soft moss that Roselle wanted for her bed. The sky was all that similar purple shade, and the world seemed devoid of all souls. Even Leila's soul doesn't seem to be here.

"Don't think that, Rose. This is the place," Ryder said, his smile returning to his face.

Roselle jumped. "You…you can read my mind?" she asked nervously.

Ryder smiled wider. "Sure," he answered. "Better think carefully now, right?"

Before Roselle could reply, Ryder ushered her back up on her feet. "Rosey," he said. "Welcome to Nebisa."


	4. Healing Axe

"This is the place?!" Roselle exclaimed. "I thought you would have, you know, wildlife and such—"

Ryder clapped her mouth shut. The sound of his hand colliding with her face echoed around them, seeming to taunt them. "Ssh!" he hissed through clenched teeth. "Don't make too much noise. Otherwise, things get nasty."

Roselle pried Ryder's hand off her lips. "Things were already nasty. This place looks like the face of a crater's landing site."

"No, not like that. I meant—" Ryder cut the air off when a faint _thump, thump_, resonated in the wind. His hand blurred, reappearing on the handle of his sword, tense and ready to swing. "Someone's coming," he seethed.

On that note, Roselle imitated Ryder's motions, hand flashing from her side to her blade. All opinions of the place disappeared from her mind as her eyes focused ahead of her, trying to make out just what was coming her way. But all she could see was the blank landscape and the empty purple sky that seemed to stretch for ages. She started squinting. _Who's coming?_

As if in response, a roar echoed behind Roselle, brimming with hate and bloodlust. Second nature snapped into play as Roselle dove sideways, disappearing into a black cloud of dark sorcery. She reappeared just as Ryder landed a hit on the creature's backbone. The splintering crack vibrated in the atmosphere in unison with the creature's cry of pain.

The "creature" was a furry, grey animal standing on its hind legs, with horns sticking out of his head and a hefty axe on one hand. Muscles rippled underneath its thick pelt, tensing and relaxing every possible minute. Blood was splattered on its axe, the color matching the flowing liquid that ran down its back from Ryder's hit. Roselle immediately recognized the bull-like beast as the massive Minotaurus.

"Don't just stand there lookin' pretty!" Ryder called as he hit the Minotaurus again. "Come and fight! Unless you're just a prissy and that sword is just a prop."

_Prop?! I'll show him prop._ Roselle leapt again into the black ripple, making it take her farther, to the Minotaurus's feet. With one graceful motion, her blade cut through the fluffy hide on its ankles, piercing skin in the process. Scarlet blood flew in the air as the Minotaurus yowled, dropping to its knees. Utilizing the chance, Roselle adjusted the sword in her hands, and stabbed the animal right in the heart.

As quickly as it came, the Minotaurus disintegrated into black dust, merging with the air until it became almost nothing. All that was left was bones, blood, and the double-handed axe that it was wielding so easily with one hand.

The silence was broken when Roselle's weapon made a _crack_ sound. The silver double-edged blade split into two, the broken half hitting the floor with a loud _clang_. Instantly, Roselle remember that time back in the camp, when she noticed that her weapon was almost destroyed. And goddamn, that was a +10 sword too.

"Well," Ryder said, his smile returning to his face again, "now it looks like you'll need another thing to fight with." He stroked the back of his head as he added, "That's a real shame, too. You were pretty good with that sword, I'll grant you that."

Roselle made a face at him in distaste. "Sounds like you think you're an expert."

Ryder's smile was still steady. "You have no idea what daily life is like in here." Before Roselle could argue back, he continued, "Do you know how to use an axe?"

Roselle grinned back at him. "Yes, I do," she answered back smugly. Her face fell back to its original position when she inquired, "You're not going to make me use that Minotaurus's axe, are you?"

"Why, you want to?" Ryder held his hands up innocently as Roselle glared at him. "Kidding! I'm kidding. Just wanted you to have this."

He reached behind his back and tossed Roselle a hand axe. Roselle caught it without a scratch. The axe was pretty clean, free from any blood and rust, and was polished so well that Roselle could see herself in the face of the axe blade. She swung the axe a few times, just to get used to the weight. It felt somewhat natural, like this was her favorite axe that she broke a couple years back.

"Hey," Ryder whistled, impressed. "You're pretty good with the axe, too."

"I'm good with twin swords, too."

"You got some talent. Maybe you would be happy to hear that the hand axe you have right now is enchanted to +10?"

Silently, Roselle praised the heavens in relief. This was a good replacement for the sword she just lost. Slower, but more powerful. Just the way she liked it.

The axe was somewhat sad to her, though. Those times before…

* * *

"_Come on, Onee-san. Show me some more." Leila was practically begging on her knees now. Her bright red eyes were wide and innocent, trying to ensnare Roselle into her trap. _

_It worked. "Alright, Leila," she cooed. "A few more tricks. Then we'll find someplace to rest and call it a day."_

"_Yay!" Leila hollered in sheer joy. She tossed her axe up in the air, and caught it with surprising accuracy that other children like her couldn't achieve. _

_Roselle grinned. Then again, Leila wasn't like the other kids. She was a nomad. She didn't go to school, although she seemed to know more that Roselle could teach her. She could wield a sword, and now, an axe. That made her more precious to Roselle. Thanks to her, she didn't feel quite out of place anymore. She was always by her side, even when a Seraph was after Roselle's vampire blood. _

"_Now, come Leila," Roselle summoned her little sister. "Let me show you how to juggle an enemy…"_

* * *

_The night was falling upon them, the sun waving the world good night as it fell into it's mountain bed. Leila had mastered every trick and skill Roselle could throw at her, and now, she was able to use the axe like it was a sword. _

_The sisters found a refuge behind a range of hills, and they had already made their moss beds and kindled a fire. Although most nomads would know better than to start a campfire in enemy-infested lands, these girls knew they could handle anything the darkness could throw at them._

_After the well-earned feast, Leila yawned and fell into Roselle's lap like a leaf would land on the ground. Her head lolled up, eyes looking directly at Roselle's own light red eyes. She was smiling, a smile Roselle would usually see on her mother's face when she was little._

"_Onee-san…"_

"_Yes, Leila?"_

"_I'm glad you're my sister. I know, most children my age would hate overly protective parents, not to mention _big sisters_, but without you, I know I would be dead by now." Her smile softened as she continued on, "And you teach me lessons other children wouldn't be allowed to learn. Like the axe! You always tell me that it's a necessity to protect myself. Now, with you, I think I'm getting there. Then you wouldn't have to worry so much about me."_

_Roselle was already crying. Leila's words had touched her so much, they healed her broken soul inside of her. _I had considered not teaching Leila the axe. But now, I realize that that obstacle turned out to be the most beautiful feat in this world.

"_I love you…Onee-san."_

"_I love you, too, Leila."_

* * *

Endnote: D'aww. The first flashback, when Roselle and Leila have their very own touching moment. Do you see it? Do you?

By the way, I'm going on a short hiatus from writing. Things are happening in my life so much, they're interfering with my story ideas.


	5. Dark Luster

"Hey…Rose? Why're you lookin' at the axe like that?"

Ryder's voice snapped Roselle back to reality (or, the dead place she was in), making her jerk upwards and lose her grip on the axe. It landed hard on the floor with a _thud, _startling the duo.

Roselle went to pick up the axe like nothing happened. "So, what happened?" Roselle asked. "I mean, what happened to me?"

Ryder gave the same old shrug he gave two or three times already. "Not much. No one came to say hello or anything. Your eyes just went blank and you were looking at that axe like it was your baby."

Now she was blushing, pursing her lips tightly. Why did she do this, in front of Ryder? Everyone else wouldn't mind when she recalled the past, but Ryder, well, he was the type who wouldn't let go of anything. She looked away from Ryder's dark eyes, "Um, I just…had a moment. You know."

"Okay." From the corner of her eye Roselle saw Ryder look away. His eyes…were they pained? The brown hue clouded his eyes, so Roselle couldn't tell.

"Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine. I just-"

Memory was refreshed in Roselle's mind, and she panicked. "Don't tell me you read my mind and saw my recollection, did you?!" she snarled.

Ryder's eyes widened with fear, the dark color fading to a light brown. "No! Well, I looked, but it was just a peek—"

Roselle threw a shard of her broken sword at him, furious. "How could you?! That was private business! You can't just snoop around in people's minds thinking 'Oh, maybe I could find out some more about this person without asking nosy questions.' That's just as nosy!"

Now it was Ryder's turn to be mad. He deflected the blade shard with his sword, and in his rage, sliced it into two. "I didn't mean to!" he snapped. "Mind reading wasn't my thing, okay? It takes time. I just found out about this three weeks ago. It's hard to control! Do you know how many times I'm fighting, and when I'm about to deliver the killing blow, my mind just has to focus on the enemy seeing its life flash before its eyes? I might be tough, but I care. That makes it so hard for me to kill when I'm out alone, since I can't focus on someone else!"

Roselle bit her lip. She never knew that mind reading was that complicated. All she thought about it was that you just look, snoop, learn, and go. Ryder's response made her feel guilty to her stomach. She looked away again, saying, "I'm sorry, Ryder."

Apparently, Ryder was still angered by Roselle, but some of it wore away. It wasn't enough to bring back his reassuring smile, though. "Maybe you should think before opening your mouth," he muttered, loud enough for Roselle to hear. Before Roselle could apologize more, he fled, vanishing in the distance.

_Don't come after me,_ Ryder's voice resonated in Roselle's mind. _I just need some time to cool off. _

_Telekinesis? _Roselle silently felt jealous of Ryder's psychic powers. It fell off when she recalled the argument they just had. Maybe telekinesis was easier to use than mind reading. She sighed in pain. She never knew, she never meant any harm.

Fear struck Roselle then. _What if Ryder just left me here? What if I hurt him so much, he just won't come back?_ Goosebumps formed on Roselle's skin. She didn't want to lose him, and not because he was a guide to Leila's soul pieces. It was because he seemed like a good friend to have, one that will be by your side in battle. Immediately, Roselle wished she could go back to the past and fix everything she had done.

A slow clap echoed behind Roselle, breaking her web of thoughts. Instantly, she whipped out her axe, trying to adjust her fighting style to the new weapon. She poised her axe in front of her, ready to throw it in case the intruder attacked.

"Relax, child," the intruder said in a silky voice. "I'm not a threat to you."

"In this world, everyone is."

A chortle. "Well, well. You seem accustomed to this place already. I must congratulate you on doing so."

Out of nowhere, another young boy, looking to be about sixteen years old, appeared in front of Roselle. This teen seemed to be the total opposite of Ryder. Paler skin, dirty blond hair, and blue eyes already put him away from Ryder's type. He wore a light brown trench coat, and had an unnaturally large axe hanging from his belt. The axe seemed to radiate a more deadly aura than her hand axe, which seemed tinier now. He was calm, making him look more dangerous. Still Roselle refused to back down.

"My name is Luster. May I ask for yours?" he said smoothly, like a gentleman.

"Um, Roselle."

Luster snapped his fingers, eyes widening in wonder. "So you're the girl who wishes to save your sister!" He looked around, as if looking for something. "I don't see you have any of her soul pieces, though."

Roselle sighed. "I just got here a while ago. You expect me to find a soul piece right at my feet when I show up?"

Luster rubbed his head, embarrassed. "I should have known that. I am sorry."

"It's okay, but I have one question for you."

"Go ahead."

"Why do you sound like a gentleman? Aren't teens really edgy and, you know, street smart?"

"Are you talking about Ryder?" Luster snorted. "Most teens here are like him. But I'm not really a teenager."

Roselle's face wrinkled, puzzled. "Huh?"

"I'm actually a century old. I just live in a teenager's body."

_People in this world really are insane. _Roselle looked at Luster in the eye. "What do you want from me? If you're here, that means you want something."

Luster smiled. "You really are used to this world, huh?"

"No, that's what the real world is like—"

A long, skinny finger delicately pressed onto Roselle's lips. "Shh," he hushed her. "I just want to hand you this. A little present to kickstart your quest."

Roselle could feel Luster's hand sliding into hers. Something warm touched her palm, and it remained as Luster pulled his hand away. As he backed away, giving her space, she looked at her palm to see just what Luster gave her.

It was a chain bracelet glowing with a strange green light.

"It's the basis of your sister's soul piece," Luster explained. "Your sister's soul shattered into bracelet charms. Connect them all with this chain, and you have a fixed soul."

Things lightened up when Roselle picked that up. Doesn't seem hard. "Thank you," she said, smiling. "This bracelet, it's warm, like Leila. No wonder this is Leila's sou—"

When Roselle looked up, the man was gone. All that was left was dust standing in his place. _Where'd he go?_

Her thoughts were disturbed by Ryder's voice screaming in her mind. _Roselle! Help me!_

* * *

Endnote: Nothing really came to me today to make the introduction of Luster good. All the tests and crap coming at me now, that's what my mind is in right now. Sorry for the sucky chapter.

Might take another break from writing. So don't be surprised when I'm not updating this, kay?


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